The Sorting

The night air was crisp as Toji stood on the shore of the black lake, staring at the small fleet of boats that were about to carry him and the rest of the first-years to Hogwarts. His sharp eyes scanned the towering figure waiting by the boats—Rubeus Hagrid, the half-giant. Despite being dimwitted, Hagrid was undeniably kind-hearted, though that didn't matter much to Toji.

He and the girls—Hermione and Daphne—made their way toward Hagrid, who was enthusiastically waving them over. "C'mon, firs'years! In the boats! Four to a boat, no more, no less!" Hagrid's booming voice echoed across the lake.

As they approached, Hagrid's eyes fell on Toji, and a wide grin spread across his face. "Well, if it ain't young Harry Potter! Good to see ya, lad! Look at ya—taller than I imagined! Come 'ere!" Without warning, Hagrid swooped in and gave Toji a hearty clap on the back that would have knocked most first-years off their feet.

Toji, however, barely budged. Years of training—both magical and physical—made it easy for him to handle Hagrid's casual strength. He smirked inwardly, knowing Hagrid hadn't noticed.

"Good to see you too, Hagrid," Toji replied, keeping his tone light and friendly.

Hagrid chuckled, clearly oblivious to how easily Toji had withstood his blow. "Get on in, then! Don't be shy!" He waved them toward one of the boats.

As Toji led Hermione and Daphne toward the nearest boat, they were joined by none other than Ron Weasley, who plopped down beside them with an awkward grin.

"Mind if I sit here?" Ron asked, already making himself comfortable without waiting for a response.

Toji shot him a quick glance but didn't bother responding. Hermione and Daphne, however, exchanged a brief look of irritation. Hermione, ever polite, simply offered Ron a stiff smile, while Daphne remained silent, already disinterested in him.

Ron, sensing the chill in the air, quickly went quiet, though he muttered something under his breath that neither of the girls bothered to acknowledge.

The boat began to glide across the lake, the soft sound of water lapping against its sides filling the silence. Toji leaned back slightly, his sharp gaze flicking between the Hogwarts castle in the distance and the shimmering water around them. As the moonlight reflected off the surface of the lake, the silhouettes of magical creatures began to emerge—graceful serpentine shapes, long fins cutting through the water.

Without thinking, Toji reached into his bag, pulling out some of the snacks he had packed. With an almost casual flick of his wrist, he tossed bits of food toward the creatures. He was careful to pick the right kind of snacks, knowing from his reading that certain magical beasts were notoriously picky about their diet.

The water rippled as the creatures snapped up the treats, and for a moment, they swam even closer, clearly intrigued by the offerings. Hermione's eyes widened in surprise.

"How did you know what to feed them?" she asked, impressed.

"Just something I picked up from a book," Toji replied with a small shrug, playing it off as nothing. Daphne raised an eyebrow, sensing that there was more to his knowledge than he let on.

In the boat beside them, Hagrid watched the interaction and the creatures with wide-eyed approval. "Well, I'll be! Not many kids know what them beasts like! Good job, Harry!" Hagrid called out, clearly impressed by Toji's knowledge of magical creatures.

As they neared the castle, the view of Hogwarts under the moonlight was breathtaking. The towering spires and majestic turrets seemed to touch the stars, and the castle itself radiated an ancient, magical energy. Even Toji, who rarely let things impress him, felt a twinge of admiration for the grandeur of the place.

Once the boats docked, the first-years were guided off, and Toji helped Hermione and Daphne out with a gentlemanly hand, much to their quiet delight. They joined the rest of the students as they were ushered inside by Hagrid, who gave them one last wave before they entered the massive doors of the castle.

Inside, the first-years were greeted by Professor McGonagall. Her eyes swept over the group, pausing briefly when they landed on Toji. There was something in her gaze—an almost imperceptible flicker of awe, though she quickly composed herself.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," McGonagall began, her voice firm but kind. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses."

There was a murmur of excitement and nervousness from the students, especially as the rumor of the sorting process spread. Some panicked, thinking they'd have to duel, others whispered about impossible tests. Toji, however, remained calm, his sharp eyes watching the scene unfold with detached interest.

Just then, the ghosts of Hogwarts made their entrance, floating through the walls and giving the students a bit of a scare. There were shrieks and gasps as the Fat Friar, the Bloody Baron, and the rest of the spectral residents made their rounds, but Toji barely flinched.

McGonagall led the group into the Great Hall, and Toji was momentarily struck by the sheer grandeur of it—the floating candles, the enchanted ceiling reflecting the night sky, and the long tables packed with students from the four houses. Whispers broke out as the first-years walked in, and Toji felt the eyes of nearly every student on him, especially from the Gryffindor table.

Once they were all gathered, McGonagall placed an old, worn Sorting Hat on a chair in front of them. The hat came to life, singing its familiar song, but Toji wasn't interested in its theatrics. He was focused on the plan.

Daphne was sorted first. The hat barely touched her head before shouting, "SLYTHERIN!" She walked toward the Slytherin table, her gaze briefly meeting Toji's before she sat down. She seemed resigned to the idea that they might be separated.

Next came Hermione, and everyone in the hall seemed certain she would go to Ravenclaw. But after a long pause, the hat declared, "SLYTHERIN!" The shock was palpable. Hermione, looking slightly stunned, made her way to the Slytherin table, glancing at Daphne, who gave her a small nod of approval.

Finally, it was Toji's turn. As Harry Potter, all eyes were on him, including those of the professors. Dumbledore, seated at the staff table, leaned forward slightly, his blue eyes twinkling with curiosity.

Toji stepped forward, his posture calm and collected, his sharp eyes never betraying the storm of thoughts in his head. He approached the hat, but before sitting down, he drew his wand.

The hall fell into utter silence as Toji raised his wand and tapped the Sorting Hat gently. "Scourgify," he murmured, casting the cleaning charm effortlessly.

The hat gave a shudder, and its voice rang out. "Well, well, well… I haven't felt this clean in centuries! Thank you, my boy. As a favor for that, I'll let you choose. Wherever you wish to go, I'll make it so. No one will argue."

Toji smiled inwardly. The plan had worked. He had his mental shields firmly in place, protecting his thoughts from Dumbledore, and now he could choose his path freely.

"I'll join Slytherin," he said, his voice clear and confident.

The hall erupted into whispers of shock and disbelief. The Boy Who Lived, choosing Slytherin? Dumbledore's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, his expression unreadable.

But the hat had made its decision. "SLYTHERIN!" it shouted, and the room fell silent once more as Toji calmly made his way to the Slytherin table.

Daphne and Hermione both looked relieved as he joined them, and Toji felt a sense of satisfaction as he took his seat. He had chosen his path, and now the real work would begin.

The feast began soon after, with food magically appearing on the tables. Toji ate, listening half-heartedly to Dumbledore's speech, already formulating his next steps. He had the time, the power, and now, he had access to a wealth of information.

Hogwarts was the perfect place to sharpen his skills further. He could feel the eyes of his fellow students on him, but he paid them no mind. This was only the beginning, and the magical world had no idea what was coming.

As the night drew to a close, the Slytherins were led to their dormitory, and Toji, ever the gentleman, once again offered his hand to help both Hermione and Daphne. They exchanged grateful smiles as they descended into the dungeons of Hogwarts, where the true journey was about to unfold.